Cartridge for air-guns.



r'ATBNTBDpEG. 11,1906.; 7 A. T. sAUNnBRs. CARTRIDGE4 PoR AIR GUNs.-

AlP'PLIOATIOH FILED 33.8, 1904.

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i To all whom, it may concern:-

ADDISON r. sAL'xDEiis, or AKRON, onio.

Specification of Letters Patent.

CARTRIDGEVEQR Ain-GUNS.

'Paten-red nee.A 11,1906V Appiicaaon flied February 8,1904. semi No.192.684..

Be it known that I, ADDIsox T. SAUNDERS,

i facitizen of the United States, residing at 'Akron, inthe county ofSummit and State of Ohio, have invented acertain new and usefulCartridge for AirGuns, of which the following is a specification.

M v invention relates to improvementsin ammunition for air-"guns, theobject being to provide such convenient means for int-roducin 7 chargesof shot and other projectiles int-o the barrels of air-gums and enablingthe )roper discharge tliereo as are now atl'orded ior guns whereinexplosives are employed by the forni of cartridge in common use.

To this end my invention consists of a cartridge of novel constructionwhich diieren tiates it from the cartridges in use for iirearms. In t-helatter the rojecti-ng power lies in -thc powder containet in the closedend of the cartridge-shell behind the projectiles, t-lie expansion ofthe gas generated by the combustion of this explosive upon its ignitionwithin t-he closed end of the shell'forcing the projectiles forward andout of the gunbarrel. It is obvious that t-liis forni of cartridge isnot adapted for use in air-giuis, for the reason that in such guns theexpulsive `force consists in com ressed air, the compression beingaccomplis ied by means forming a part ofthe mechanism of such guns andwit-hin the saine, instead of being conveyed into the run-barrelsimultaneously with the project-iles to be expelled thereby, and becauseno means are provided whereby if the cxplosive were omitted from thecartridge and it were sought to expel the projectiles therefrom b vair-pressure compressed air could be brought to act upon the load frombehind within the cartridgcbshell. My invention provides these means.

The manner in which it is preferably earricd out is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of acartridge embodying my invention; Figs. '2, 3,4, 5, and I3,inodilications of the same, and Fig. 7 a view of the breech end of sucha cartridve.

ever used.

A is the cylindrical portion of the shell; B, the breech; C C C" C",apertures in the wall of the shell; D, projectiles; E I' E, disks ofwadding; F, packing.

An essential feature of my invention re# sides in providing means ofadmitting the,Y`

com ressed air into'th'e hinder part or breech of t ic cartridge-shell.'These means consist of one or more apertures or openings in the wall ofthe shell. The shape, number, size, arrangement, and exact locationofthe openings are unimportantso long as they rinit the free passage ofair int-o the shell )ehind the load. Somewhat of the latitudecontemplated in these respects within the purview of my invention isshown in the drawinvs.

lin Fi 1 is shown a cartridge with the cylindrica shell A, having a.breech B with a. flange b. In all respects this shell is identical withthose in use for certain iirearms. excc t that it is provided with anaperture C in t ie breech to admit air. The load shown in this figure issimilar to that in an ordinary shotcart-ridge, except that there is noexplosive or fulininate included, the rear wads H E occupying the rca-rportion of the shell. and the shot D being retained in the shell b vthese and the front wad E", between which latter and the pair E E it isheld.

Fig. 2 has also a cylindrical shell A and a breech B. In this foi'in`there is no flange, however, and the means of admitting the air into theshellA consist of an annular arming@ ment of apertures C C" C" in its cvlindrical portion near the breech, that member being closed. The loadin this figure is like that of Fig. 1, except that the rear wad E isshown as having such sha )e as to form within the rear end of the she lan annular space which permits the freeentrancc of air through theapertures and facilitates its action upon the wad.

Fig. 3 is identical in its shell portion with Fig. 2, except that it hasa liange b similar to that in Fig. 1. Its load consists of a singleprojectile mounted in its forward end and embedded in a suitablesubstance F, described later, which seats it removably and which Itei'ni packing.

Fig. 4 shows a simple cylinder without breech or llange and open at bothends. The

l bullet D tits within the shell A, beingT seated Similar letters referto similar parts whereiu the packing F.

Fig. 5 has a shell A. consisting of an o en cvlindci' alike at bothends, and a loat of shot D, retained in the shell b v the disks ofwadding E E".

Fig. 6 shows u shell of tiie forni of Figs. 4

ICQ

IXO

- and 5, exec it that one end has an iiiturned flange G,.w itc-h insuresthe retention of the rear wad E during,r and after loading. This flangeneed be but slight, and the retention of breech may consist wholly or inpart of wiregauze or any suitable perforated material.

Cartridges of the forniof Figs. 4 and 5 are reversible-that is, the)Yareadapted to be in serted iii the gun-barrel either end foremost, andto be so discharged.

The location of the, cartridge in the gun for proper firing will dependupon the construction'of the latter. 1n that tvpe of air-gun in whichthe true tiring-barrel occupies onli' a )art of the apparent length ofarrel, the liinder part being occupied by the air-coinpressingmechanism, such as a spring, pistonrod, piston-head, &e.', this positionwould naturally be in the rear end of the firing-barrel immediately infront of the pointy atl which the piston-head iinishes its stroke, whilein the type arranged for loading darts and other )rojeetiles into the.breech the cartridge is est placed or located just within the breech .oft-lie barrel within a suitable seat, as ordi- -iiary shot-cartridges aieloaded into the familiar forms of Shotguns used for cartridgescoiitaininir explosives.

IVlien tte pei'foratioiis or apertures are in the cylindrical portion ofthe shell, asin Figs. 2 and 3, an annular air-space should be irovidedin the gun-barrel at the point where these apertures are. when thecartridge is seated to allow a. free passage of air about this ort-ion.The' cartridge must be so seater and fitted to the barrel that when thecompressed air is brought to bear upon its rear portion there will notbe any considerable escape of air outside of the shell into the barrel.

The operation of the invention is simple. The cartridge having beenloaded into the gun as described and being 1prevented by its flange orseat from slipping orwaid, and the opening in the breech of the barrelthrough which the loading is done haring been closed, the compressingand firing mechanism is opcrated, when the compressed air, pressing uponthe rear wad, or in case of the forms shown with wads omitted, directly`ipoii the pluprojectile, through the aperture or plurality of aperturesprovided forthat purpose, asdef scribed above, starts the load forwardand, rushing in as fast as space is gained, forces the load forwardthrough the barrel and out of the muzzle of the gun. lt will beundertrance of air behind the charge the result,

the discharge, is pract ically the saine as w hen being seated in thepacking I". previously i.ferred to, and which may consist of paraffin, alight compound of' wax, or of any suit,- able sheeted material. In usinga wax conipound it should be so made as to break awa 'from the ball ondischarge of the saine. ltr, may be made to do this by the adinixture oftallow or stearin and will also serve as a lubricant, lessening thefriction of the ball with the shell and gun-barrel.' The wads may beseated in such a. compound or even be made n to consist, of the saine.

It. is ofkfourse possible to make this cartridge-shell other ianperfectly cylindricalas, for instance, polygonal-outside and eveninside; but suc-h niodificationwould not alter the princi ile involved.

The shell for the herein-described cartridge may consist of any suitablematerial, such as the. paper and metals now in use for car tridges fors1iiall-arms, and may have a flange at tiie breech end as suchcartridges have.

I disclaim any novelt}P in the above-mem tioiied materials for theshell, as I do also in the use of a flan e.

I disclaim al constructions wherein. the result is a closed breechunadapted to admit. of an inrush of air.

I also disclaim the disk or wads in common use in cartridges. Theirfunction as I eniplovr them is to retain the shot in position and in thecase of the rear one to serve as a plunger to be acted upon by thecompressed fluid behind it..

'heiever in this specification or the accompanying claims I use theterni load or charge" it is to designate the projectiles, wads, &c.,used as described in my air-eartridge, and in no case includes orconteniilales any fulmiiiate. or explosive, my design lieing toobviatethe1iecessit for their use in so far as practicable.

ln referring in the claims to means of admitting air into the shell orbehind the load I of course include as such means the open rear end ofthe shell in those forms where a simple cylinder forms the shell, and asthese open lcvlinder-sixells are reversible it is obvious stood thatwith this provision for free ciiwhen that end isplaced rearward in thegun. when the air is sulliciently compressed before g that either endopening becomes these means For this reason I. have not designated theseopen ends with the letter indicating the aper- IOO IIL

I ployed in my air-cartridge as a contraction of an open breech and forthe unique purpose ixo ' said shell bein adapted to admit air withininterlocking or interiitting member o a. Vshellture for the admission ofair, C, their function in the light of my description and the adjoinediqurcs being obvious. A

I disclaim the inturned flange or li as an with a closed breech,claiming it only as emsetforth.

I claim- 1. A cartridge shell open atboth contained within saiddescribed.

-2. A cartridge for air-guns comprisiner a suitable load and acontaining-shell thereor,

for air-guns compris-ing a ends and a siutable load shell, substantiallyas it behind said oad and to permitof the discharge of said load fromits forward end, subbody, substantially as described.

-cylindrical bod of suitable materia st antially as described.

3. A cartridge for air-guns comprising a cylindrical body @Pen at oneend; havinl an aperture in the otier end adapted to a mit alr, and asuitable load contained within said 4. A cartridge for air-guns comrising a open at o ne end, havingga plurality of apertures at the otherend adapted to admit air, and. a

Asuitable load contained Within said body, 3o

substantially as described. A 5. A shell for an air-gun cartrido'ecomprising a cylindrical' body of suitable material open at Oneend, theother end having a breech-piece'adapted to admit air; substan- 35t-ially as described.

ADDISON T. SAUNDERS.

Witnesses: G. H. SAUNDERS, A. L. SAUNDERs.4

